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O, lad ei svinde Timen unyttet bort! Nornerne spinde, Tvundet af Rødt og Sort, Livstraaden alt for kort, - Lad den ei svinde! Elskede, Kjære! Kom til mit stille Bryst; Jeg vil jo bære Dig og din Sorg og Lyst, Hviil i min Arm saa tyst, - Elskede, Kjære! Smykker den blanke, Levende Ædelsteen, Taaren, min ranke, Duftende Rosengreen? Ak, hver din Taare reen Blier mig en Tanke. Yndigste Lilie! Fyldig og blid og øm! Er det din Villie, Seile vi Livets Strøm, Drømme den samme Drøm, Yndigste Lilie! Lad da ei svinde Timen [uændset]1 bort; Nornerne spinde, Tvundet af Rødt og Sort, Livstraaden alt for kort, - O, min Veninde!
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Cormontan: "unyttet"
Modernized form of the text:
O, lad ej svinde timen unyttet bort! Nornerne spinde, tvundet af rødt og sort, livstråden alt for kort, — lad den ej svinde! Elskede, kære! Kom til mit stille bryst; jeg vil jo bære dig og din sorg og lyst, hvil i min arm så tyst, — elskede, kære! Smykker den blanke, levende ædelsten, tåren, min ranke, duftende rosengren? Ak, hver din tåre ren blir mig en tanke. Yndigste lilje! Fyldig og blid og øm! Er det din vilje, sejle vi livets strøm, drømme den samme drøm, yndigste lilje! Lad da ej svinde timen uænset bort; nornerne spinde, tvundet af rødt og sort, livstråden alt for kort, — o, min veninde!
Text Authorship:
- by Christian Winther (1796 - 1876), "O, lad ei svinde" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Theodora Cormontan (1840 - 1922), "O, lad ei svinde", op. 1 (4 Sange for en Syngestemme med Piano ) no. 4, published c1880 [ voice and piano ], Componistens Forlag. Kjöbenhavn, Wilhelm Hansen ; Stockholm, S. Levy ; Christiania, C. Warmuth [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Peter Arnold Heise (1830 - 1879), "Sang", published 1855 [ voice and piano ], from Kærlighedssange = Liebeslieder, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Mark DeGarmeaux) , "O let it not fade away", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Heidrun Beer) , "Laß nicht verrinnen", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Michael Jorgensen
This text was added to the website: 2013-09-06
Line count: 30
Word count: 109
O let it not fade away, That hour unused! The Fates spin, Twisted from red and black, The thread of life all too short, -- Let it not fade away! Beloved, dear one! Come to my quiet breast; I will surely carry You and your sorrow and joy, Rest in my arm so quiet, -- Beloved, dear one! Does that shiny, Living gemstone, The tear, adorn my straight, Fragrant rose-stem? Ah, each pure tear of yours Becomes for me a thought. Loveliest lily! Full and gentle and tender! If it is your will, Let us sail life's stream, Dream the same dream, Loveliest lily! Then let it not fade away, That unused hour; The Fates spin, Twisted from red and black, The thread of life all too short, -- O, my beloved!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Danish (Dansk) to English copyright © 2013 by Mark DeGarmeaux, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Danish (Dansk) by Christian Winther (1796 - 1876), "O, lad ei svinde"
This text was added to the website: 2013-09-06
Line count: 30
Word count: 129